Russian striker “Rangers” Vitaly Kravtsov once again decided to try his hand overseas. This time, he wants to forget the scandals and earn trust again in order to finally realize his chance.

It seems that Kravtsov has really matured.

In the NHL – at 18

Faith in first-round picks in the NHL is boundless. Clubs simply cannot admit that they once made the wrong choice, and are ready to give such players a million chances to realize themselves, even if hockey players frankly do not succeed. However, sometimes it’s not about the athletes, but about the teams themselves: the case of Valery Nichushkin, who suffered for four seasons in Dallas and then took off in Colorado, confirms this.

Kravtsov, who left in the 2018 draft with the ninth overall pick, has a different situation. The Russian from the Rangers was let down by impatience and, perhaps, too high conceit. On his first visit to New York, at least, he expected more than he got.

Debut on the third try

In 2019, full of hope, 18-year-old Kravtsov first came to the Rangers training camp. But he couldn’t get into the base of the club from New York: he played for a month in the AHL, and then took advantage of the clause in the contract and waved back to his native Tractor, where, surprisingly, he also flew past the base. Judging that the AHL was better than the VHL, Kravtsov returned and made 39 appearances for Hartford. In general, he failed to make his debut in the NHL, although the Russian was allowed to be with the club during the Stanley Cup matches.

Vitaly Kravtsov / Photo: © KHL / Pavel Tabarchuk

Realizing that the Rangers did not count on him yet, in the 2020/21 season, as part of the loan, Kravtsov again arrived at the location of Traktor, who accepted his talented junior without question. This game year was the most successful for the forward: he scored points in every second match of the regular season for Chelyabinsk, and by the end of the season he was ripe for his next trip overseas, because his goal – to play in the NHL – remained unchanged.

In the wake of a successful season at Traktor, Kravtsov joined the Rangers, played 20 games in the regular season and opened the scoring with points. But it was too early to relax: the debut did not guarantee a place in the first team. And at the beginning of the 2021/22 season, due to an injury, Kravtsov dropped out of the training camp and, as a result, from the Rangers.

Arranged a showdown

Here the striker, obviously, realized that driving along the New York-Chelyabinsk route would lead to nothing, and a high number in the draft did not guarantee a stable game in the NHL. As a result, Kravtsov wanted to change the team and almost delivered an ultimatum to the club. The Rangers allowed him to look for other options and themselves began to test the waters for a striker trade. Until the breakup was formalized, Kravtsov was ordered to go to the AHL. But the Russian rejected the offer, risking disciplinary sanctions.

As a result, without waiting for the exchange, he left everything as it was and again left for Traktor. It seemed that Kravtsov would never return to New York, and the only chance for him to stay in the NHL was to change clubs. But in the summer, Kravtsov again decided to fight for the base of the Rangers. That’s perseverance!

“Now I want to atone”

Returning overseas for the fourth time is a bold act, but returning to a club with which the hockey player had a public conflict is doubly bold. After last year’s situation, the fate of Kravtsov already depended not only on his game, but also on the attitude towards him at the Rangers. Are they ready to forget past misunderstandings? Kravtsov began his communication with the media in New York with a neat apology:

“I made a lot of noise last year,” he said. Now I want to atone for my guilt.

Vitaly Kravtsov / Photo: © Bruce Bennett / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

He also remarked that he did not want to respond to malicious comments on the internet, noting that 85% of the information about his situation was a lie. It turned out that parting on a minor note did not at all affect Kravtsov’s communication with the club. The Rangers still believe in him: in the preseason, the Russian plays on the same line with Artemy Panarin, who, it seems, has become his unspoken mentor. And coach Gerard Gallan praises Kravtsov for his efforts and actions on the ice. Their trio, along with Trochek, is almost the best in the entire Rangers.

It seems that the club’s competent approach to the wayward hockey player can finally bear fruit, which will cross out the last three years of torment. After all, Kravtsov is only 22, and he may well be only at the very beginning of a great overseas career.